The invention relates to a system and method for generating a behavior model for the simulation of an automation system, in which signal flows between components of the automation system are simulated.
It is known to use a system or method for planning and designing systems for production and/or process automation. Known production-engineering equipment, however, is very complex and highly automated. The control software needed for controlling the components of this known equipment is likewise of considerable complexity. For an automation technology system to be put into operation smoothly, it is therefore desirable for the control software to be tested before placing the an automation system into operation. Simulations of the automation equipment are therefore nowadays increasingly performed in advance.
The simulations mentioned can be performed even when the components of the automation system which are implemented in hardware are not yet available. Here, a computer is used to simulate the behavior of the equipment components. The aim of this simulation is to furnish the control program, which is to be simulated, with appropriate input signals that are generated as a function of the output signals generated by the control program.
To control an automation program, programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are generally used. To a PLC, the environment is visible only in the form of input signals to which it responds, depending on the implemented control code, with corresponding output signals. In a real plant, the control program receives its input values from sensors and supplies output signals to actuators of the automation system.
An automation system can also be subdivided into many different components and units, between which data communication occur continuously during automated operation.
To simulate the automation system correctly, these signal flows have to be simulated by a suitable behavior model. Depending on the complexity and multiplicity of the components used in the automation system, the simulation of these signal flows is extremely complicated for the user and prone to errors.
In conventional simulation systems, the signal flows are implemented by allocating names for global variables or transmission parameters. The connections between the components communicating with each other can be modeled in a userface by graphic connecting lines or the entry of corresponding variable names at both ends. The more complex the structure of the automation system to be modeled, the more prone such an approach is to errors. In addition, the definition of signal flows in the form of graphic connecting lines frequently results in a highly unclear representation which makes locating errors extremely difficult.